Adopt proactive measures to prevent disasters
The President of the Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS), Dr Michael Agyekum Addo, has urged the public to adopt proactive measures that would prevent disasters.
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He also entreated corporate institutions, social organisations and the public to acquire knowledge in first aid, which would be beneficial in emergency situations.
“The GRCS is collaborating with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure that Red Cross clubs are revamped and given adequate training to administer first aid and life-saving strategies in terms of emergencies,” Dr Addo indicated.
He was speaking at the launch of the GRCS’s strategic plan for 2016 to 2020 in Accra.
The event, which brought together people from all walks of life, including representatives from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), International Red Cross Federation (IRCF) and the Swiss Red Cross Society (SRCS), had the theme; “Applying Business Models to Deliver Humanitarian Service.”
The plan focuses on four key thematic areas including resource mobilisation and partnership expansion, organisational development, incorporation of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to facilitate public relations and institutional development.
The priority areas for the four-year plan are disaster management, formation of robust youth and mother clubs, healthcare management, community outreaches, education and policy advocacy.
Dr Addo explained that the overall goal of the plan was to augment the government’s efforts to ensure sustainable improvement in the lives of the most vulnerable individuals, households and communities.
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He therefore called for support from individuals and corporate bodies to scale up the activities of the GRCS.
Success story
The Secretary-General of GRCS, Mr Samuel Kofi Addo, highlighted the key successes the organisation had chalked up in the areas of education, health care, community services, emergency response and disaster management.
“Our activities in the country are enormous in terms of poverty reduction, water crisis support and food security in communities. We have supported households to construct toilet facilities to improve sanitation. We also mount stands during public gatherings with effective hand-washing equipment to encourage people to wash their hands. This is to reduce the risks of contracting diseases,” he stated.
Mr Addo indicated that the GRCS was poised to roll out a project to equip the youth with entrepreneurial skills that would make them self-reliant.